Folding crate.



S. F. GEIGER.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.9, I9I5.

1 274,53 1 Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- an o u 40 L9 15E 0 2 -8? 59 3 142 Q 32 0 U INVENTOR WITNESSES 41 BY 414 a ATTORNEY ms NORRIS PETERS o0, PNGlD-LITIML. wasumamn n. c.

S. F. GEI'GER.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED 020.9. l9l5 Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ATTORNEY n4! nuIlRl: PErsRs cu. Pnowumm. vusumamn. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

, sYtvEsrER Remorse, or LAKE GENEVA, WISCONSIN.

- FOLDING CRATE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYLvEsTER F. GEIGER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lake-Geneva, in the county of Walw0rth and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F olding Crates, of Which the following is a specification.- r

My present invention has relation to 'cer tain new and'useful improvements in crates and more particularly to a' folding crate; and as its'prim'ary object it contemplates the provision of a novel device of this character which may be used in shipping eggs, or other perishablematerial, and to be subsequently returned to the consignor in [a knock-down condition, thus notonly providing adequate protection for the goods during shipment, butalso continual reuse of the crate.

Another object of 'myinvention'is to provide an improved crate of the nature set forth above, whereinthe'severalparts may be quickly arranged ina folded position and thus held stationarywith respect to each other so asto-pre'vent the rattling of the parts and the 'disagreeable'noise incident thereto. 4

A further object of vthe invention is to provide novel means to lock the parts of the crate in a relatively stationary, position when in aset-up condition and when in a knockdown condition; in the first instance,

to provide for. adequately protecting the goods duringyshipment and effectually, preventing the collapse of the crate, and, in the secondinstance, to enable the knock-down crates'to be handled with ease.

A furthenobject of my invention isto provide a device of the type in question that is extremely simple in construction, strong and durable, and highly'practical fromrboth the standpoint of the manufacturer and the standpoint of the user; and which, it is believed, may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost Variousother objects and advantages will becomeappare'nt during thecontinuance of the following description.

These objects are accomplished by such means as are shown intheir preferred form in the accompanying drawlngs, descrlbed in the following specification and then more specifically pointed out in the appended claims. H v V I Y "In "the 4 accompanying drawings wherein Specification of Letters Patent. P t md 1913, Application filed December 9,1915. Serial No. 65,968.

like characters designate like out the several 'views:

Figure 1 is a View in top plan of the crate showing the same in a set-up position;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing the crate in a set-up position; 1 Fig. 3 is a reduced view in top plan showing thecrate as it appears ina knockdown condition;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View 'taken'on line 4:4: of'Fig. 1, viewed'in the direction indicated by the arrows;

I Fig. 5 is a cross sectional viewtaken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the crate in a partly knock-down position.

parts through- .My improved crate is preferably con- 1 structed' of a light sheet metal, firstly, to

embody the necessary requisites of durability,* and secondly to provide for the continual re'use of the device. However, it will be understood that I vdo not wish to limit myself to this form of material since the/crate may be constructed of some other material, if it is so desired.

In reducing my invention topractice, I

first provide a base orbottom plate 10, whichis bent at'its marginal edges to provide upstanding side'and end extensions 11 and 12 respectively, the end extensions 12 having projecting cars 13 to besecured to the side extensions 11 as shown at 14: in Fig. 2. Suitable bearings 15 are fixed to theside extensions 11 throughout their longitudinal extent, as shown at 16, through which are journaled carrying members '17 and 18*respectively. These'carrying me1nbers or pivots may be made to extend ap- -proximatelythe entire length of the side extensions, although this is not essential to the eflicient operation of the device. The side pieces 19 may be formed of a light sheet metal, such as pointed out above of the bottom member and therefore, it will be noted that they may be quickly arranged in a knock-down position, such as shown in Fig. 6.

The end wall members 23 are bent at their upper and lower marginal edges to form reinforcing strips 24 while at their side edges they are bent to form angular extensions 25 that carry depending ears 26 for attachment to the side extensions 11 of the bottom member as shown at 27 Consequently, it will be also noted that the end members will be held in pivotal relation with respect to the bottom member whereby they may be quickly moved into a knock down position when it is so desired.

)Vith a view of retaining the 'side and end members in a. relatively fixed position with respect to each other when they are in a set-up position, as shown in Fig. 2, I provide the eXtension2-5 of the end members with resilient holding arms 28 Whose free ends are bent to form lugs 29 to be received at certain times by the cut outs or recesses 30 of the side members. Consequently, it will be noted that when the side and end members are in the position shown in Fig. 2, they will be held relatively rigid with respect to each other and thus retained against accidental collapse. lVhile these holding arms 28 serve to retain the end and side members in a relatively rigid position, such as mentioned above, attention is also called to the fact that they perform a dual function such as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

A carrying member 31 is arranged to extend transverselywith respect to the bottom member 10 such as by ournaling the ends thereof to the side extensions 11, (see Fig. 5), the purpose of this member being to supportapartition member 32 The partition member 32, in its present embodiment, has its marginal edges bent to form reinforcing strips 33, the lower of which is provided with suitable brackets 34 for connection with the carrying member 31. It will be noted from the above that the partition member is readily movable with respect to the bottom portion whereby it may be quickly interchanged from a knock-down to a set-up position. \Vith a view of retaining the partition member in a substantially upright position at certain times, I provide the side members 19. with inwardly projecting stopping lugs 35 (see Fig. 5), between which the partition member may be quickly arranged. Along its upper edge, the partition member is provided with spaced cut outs 36 which serve the function presently described.

In order to eifectually close the top of the crate, I provide a cover member 37, which is provided with members 38 (secured thereto at opposite sides) which carry hasps 39 through the medium of pintles 40. The hasps 39 above referred. to are designed to engage, respectively, with the retaining member 41 and the shackle 42 at certain times, such as indicated in Fig. 5, whereby the cover member may be effectually locked in a stationary position.

WV hen the end and side members 19 and 3 respectively are arranged in a set-up position, the side members will be eifectua-lly retained against collapse through the medium of the projecting lugs 43 carried by the end members; while the end members are effectually retained with respect to the side. members, through the medium of the holding arms 28. The side members 19 are further provided with pivoted arms. 44 which are formed with depending lugs or flanges 45 at their free ends for insertion in the cut outs or recesses 36 of the partition member at certain times, whereby the latter will be further held against displacement. The arms 44 not only serve to retain the partition member against displacement, such as mentioned above, but also prevent spreading'movement of the side members 19 under strain of the contents of the crate, so as to eliminate bulging of the sides. These securing members 44 also. serve as seats for snpporting the cover or lid 37 in its opera"- tive position. v

I also find it expedient to provide each of the several elements of the device with cutout portions or apertures whereby they may receive certain projecting portions of the other elements when they are in a knock-down condition. In thefolding operation of the crate (the cover being removed), the side wall members 19 are first manipulated so as to release their engagement with the partition member 32 and allow the latter to be arranged in the position shown in Fig. 6; after which, the side wall members are released from engagement with the end wall members, and may be folded so that the aperture 46 of one side wall member receives the retaining lugs 35 of the other side wall member, while theapertu re 4.7 of the last mentioned side wall member receives the fastening member42 of the first mentioned side wall member. Consequently, it will be seen that the side members may bear ranged in an approximately flat and parallelposition. After this has been accomplished, the cover member 37 is arranged in place upon the side members, so that the cut outs or apertures 48 and thereof receive the projecting fastening member 41 of the side portion. The end pieces may now be moved into a folded position whereby the stepping lugs, 43 thereof will be received in the cut outs or apertnres 50 of the top member whereas the holding arms 28 will be arranged so that the lugs 29 will engage with the bottom of the crate so as to retain the parts a relatively stationary position. It will be seen that the end members may be time securely clamped and bound upon the several folding elements of the crate whereby the entire device will be held in a compact form.

From the foregoing, it will be recognized that I have provided an improved crate which is readily convertible from a-set-up position to a knock-down form, one which will adequately protect the goods during shipment and at the same time permit continual reuse, and one which will be materially reduced in size when in a knock down condition. By reason of the fact that it is believed that the advantages and novel features of my invent-ion will be readily understood from the foregoing, further detail description is deemed unnecessary.

I11 reducing my invention to practice I find that the form referred to herein as the most practical and preferred embodiment is the most efficient, but realizing that certain conditions will necessarily vary in concurrence with the adoption of my device, I

desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in the details of construction and in the proportion of parts may be resorted to when required without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a folding crate of the character described a base, side and end members movably associated with said base, a cover associated with said side and end members, means to retain said side and end members in an upright position with respect to said base, a partition movably associated with said base and having its upper edge portion provided with cutouts, and latching members pivotally mounted on said side members and having their free end portions movable into the cutouts of said partition to retain the side members against outward bulging, said latching members also supporting said cover while the latter holds the latching members is engagement with said partition. 2. In a folding crate, the combination of a base having side and end walls, the end walls being provided with extensions forming ears connected with the end portions of the side walls, end members for said crate provided with side flanges terminating in ears pivotally connected with the ears of the end walls of said base, side members pivotally connected with the side walls of the base and fitting between the side flanges of the end members when in a set-up position and provided with cutouts adjacent their ends, and strips carried by and extending from said flanges of the end members and terminating in hooks fitting into the cutouts of the side members to releasably hold the end members in engagement with the side members.

3. In a folding crate, the combination of a base having side and endwalls, the end walls being provided with extensions forming ears connected with the end portions of the side walls, end members for said crate provided with side flanges terminating in ears pivotally connected with the ears of the end walls of said base, side members pivotally connected with the side walls of the base and fitting between the side flanges of the end members when in a set-up position and provided with cutouts adjacent their ends, strips carried by and extending from said flanges of the end members and terminating in hooks fitting into the cutouts of the side members to releasably hold the end members in engagement with the side members, a partition pivotally connected with the base, securing members carried by the side members for engaging the partition and releasably holding the parti-- tion in a" raised position, means connecting the side members with the partition to hold the side members against outward bulging, a cover for said crate, and means cooperative with said side members and cover for holding said securing members in engagement with said partition.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SYLVESTER- F. GEIGER.

Witnesses:

J. C. BRAND, FRED E. WORMOOD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

